Metering-switch.



' H. w. BROWN.

METERING SWITCH.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 28,1911.

Patented Feb. 15, 1916.

WITNESSES:

UNITED STATES PATENT oEEIoE.

HAROLD w. BROWN, or WILKINSBURG, r NNsYLvANm, ASSIGNOR To WESTINGHOUSEELECTRIC AND MANUFACTURING COMPANY. A CORPORATION or PENNSYLVANIA.

METERING-SWITCH.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 15, 1916.

Application filed June 28, 1911. Serial No. 635,909.

To all 10/1 out it may-concern Be it known thatl, HAROLD 1V. BROWN, acitizen of the United States, and a resident of lVilkinsburg', in thecounty of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have 1nvented a new anduseful Improvement in Metering-Sw tches, of which the following is aspecification.

My invention relates to switches and electrical connections thereforwhereby a single voltmeter, or other similar instrument, may beconnected to, or associated with, any phase of a plurality of polyphasecircuits, or any one of a plurality of sets of circuits.

The object of my invention is to provide a switch of such character thatit may be used for the purpose above indicated, without danger orpossibility of connecting the meter or other instrument to more than onephase or circuit at the same time.

In the single figure of the accompanying drawing, which diagrammaticallyillustrates a system embodying my invention, a single voltmeter 1, orother suitable instrument, is employed in connection with a plurality ofswitches 2, 3, 4 and 5, each of which comprises two adjacent, insulatedand simultaneously movable conducting segments 6 and 7 that arerespectively provided with inwardly projectin and opposite lateralextensions 8 and 9. The body portions of the segments 6 and 7 arerespectively engaged by stationary contact terminals 10 and 11 wherebycontinuous connection is made therewith. Between the body portions ofthe segments 6 and 7, and adjacent thereto, are a plurality ofside-by-side pairs of contact terminals 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18 and19 that are interposed in the paths of movement of the lateralextensions 8, and 9 of the segments, one member of each pair beinginterposed in the path of movement of the extension 8 and the othermembers of the pairs being interposed in the path of movement of theextension 9.

The terminal member 10 of switch 5 is connected to one terminal of thevoltmeter, and the member 11 of switch 2'is connected to the otherterminal of the voltmeter. The terminal members 10 of the switches 2, 3and 4 are respectively connected to the terminal members 12 of theswitches 3, 4 and 5, while the terminal members 11 of the switches 3, 4and 5 are respectively connected to the terminal members 13 of theswitches 2, 3 and 4. The members of the remaining pairs of terminaldevices are respectively connected to differently phased conductors ofpolyphase circuits or to different side of single-phase-or directcurrent circuits. In they presentinstance, inorder to show theadaptability of the switches, the

terminal members 14 to 19, inclusive, of the switch 2 are connected inpairs to the conductors of a three-phase circuit 20, 21 and 22 and thecorresponding members of the switch 4. are similarly connected to theconductors of a two-phase circuit 23, 24, 25, 26, while the same membersof the switch 3 are connected in pairs to a plurality of lighting orother load circuits 27, 28 and 29.

WVhen the switches occupy their normal positions,-which are shown, thevoltmeter 1 is not connected to any of the circuits. If it is desired toconnect the voltmeter to the phase 2021 of the three-phase circuitassociated with the switch 2, the said switch should be moved until thelateral extensions 8 and 9 of its conducting segments respectivelyengage terminal members 14 and 15. Under this condition, a circuit isestablished from conductor 21, through terminal members 17 and 15,segment 7, terminal member 11, the voltmeter, terminal members 10 and 12of each of switches 5, 4 and 3, and terminal members 10 and 14 of switch2 to circuit conductor 20. If, under this condition,

one of the other switches 3, 4 or 5 is moved from its normal position,the circuit of the voltmeter will be interrupted, and, in order that anyof the said switches may be used for connecting the voltmeter to thecorresponding circuits, it is necessary to return the switch 2 to itsnormal position, as shown. This will be understood by assuming that theswitch 3 is moved so that the extensions 8 and 9 of its conductingsegments engage terminal members 14 and 15. Previous to this movement, acircuit existed between the switches 2 and 3, through the connectionbetween the terminal member 10 of the one and the terminal member 12 ofthe other,

the switches to tlieright thereof will be disconnected from theleft-hand terminal of the voltmeter. Thus, it is seen that the voltmetermay be connected to but one phase of one circuit, or to but one circuit,at a time, and that there is, accordingly, no possibility of confusingthe circuits or phases of which the voltmeter indicates the voltage, andalso that there is no danger of causing short circuits or damaging thecircuits, switches or meter.

The present switch is not limited in its application to the uses shown,but may be employed whenever found useful. For instance, it may be usedfor connecting the voltage coils of a polyphase wattmeter to any one ofa plurality of polyphase circuits, substantially as shown in a copendingapplication.

I claim as my invention:

1. A switch comprising two conducting segments havinglateral extensions,means for making circuit connections respectively thereto, and aplurality of pairs of adjacent terminal devices, the members of eachpair being respectively and simultaneously engaged by the segments whilethose of adjacent pairs may be engaged thereby in succession only.

2. A switch comprising two conducting segments having lateralextensions, terminal members respectively continuously engaging thesame, and a plurality of pairs of terminal members that may be engagedonly in succession by the conducting segments.

3. A switch comprisingtwo conducting segments having lateral extensions,means for making circuit connections respectively thereto, and aplurality of pairs of adjacent terminal members=that may be engaged onlyin succession by the conducting segments.

4. A switch comprising conducting segments each having a lateralextension, terminal members respectively continuously engaging the saidsegments, and two sets of terminal members that may be engagedrespectively by the lateral segment extensions, the members of each setbeing engaged thereby in succession.

5. A switch comprising movable conducting segments each having a lateralextension, means for making circuit connections respectively to thesegments, and two sets of terminal members that are respectivelyinterposed in the paths of movement of the lateral segment extensions,the members of each set being'engaged thereby in succession.

6. The combination with a meter and a plurality of sets of circuits withreference to which the meter is adapted to make measurements, of aplurality of switches severally comprising two conducting segmentshaving lateral projections and terminal members, said terminal membersbeing so connected that the said meter can only be associated with thecircuits of each set in succession and for preventing association of themeter simultaneously with two circuits of different sets.

7. The combination with a meter and a plurality of sets of circuits withreference to which the meter is adapted to make measurements, of aplurality of switches severally comprising two conducting segmentshaving lateral projections and terminal members, electrical connectionsbetween the terminal members of each switch for associating the meterwith the circuits of each set in succession and for preventingassociation simultaneously with two circuits of different sets.

8. The combination with a meter and a plurality of sets of circuits withreference to which the meter is adapted to make measurements, of aplurality of switches, one corresponding to each set of circuits, eachof said switches comprising a plurality of pairs of terminal devices allbut one pair of'which are respectively connected to the "said circuits,a pair of movable conducting segments respectively engaging the terminaldevices of the same pair but that may engage those of different pairs insuccession only, connections from non-corresponding segments of tWo ofthe switches to the meters and connections respectively from theremaining segments of the switches to the terminal devices of the nextadjacent switches that are not connected to the said circuits.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name this 21st dayof une,

HAROLD W. BROWN. Witnesses:

M. E. EDEN, B. B. HINES.

